Abdul Wahid - Councillor for Tower Hamlets (Stepney Green)

Councillor Abdul Wahid

Aspire Stepney Green Chair of Overview & Scrutiny Committee

Email: abdul.wahid@towerhamlets.gov.uk

Council: Tower Hamlets

Council Profile: View on council website

Committees: Cabinet (Member) Council (Member) Audit Committee (Member) General Purposes Committee (Vice-Chair) King George's Field Charity Board Tower Hamlets Health and Wellbeing Board Grants Determination (Cabinet) Sub-Committee Pensions Committee (Substitute) Human Resources Committee (Substitute) Overview & Scrutiny Committee (Chair) Standing Advisory Council on Religious Education (SACRE) (Member)

Is this you? Claim this page.

AI Generated

Positions, Voting Record & Activity Summary

Last updated: 9 days ago

Abdul Wahid's council service across 2024, 2025, and 2026 demonstrates a consistent dedication to council governance, resident well-being, and service improvement, with a pronounced and deepening focus on scrutiny and financial oversight in recent years.

Key Themes and Priorities: Across his tenure, Wahid has consistently prioritized transparency, accountability, and the effective delivery of council services. He has shown a particular interest in financial matters, including budgets, fees, charges, and hardship funds, as well as the well-being of vulnerable residents, especially young people and those requiring social inclusion initiatives. His recent work heavily emphasizes robust scrutiny and performance management.

Evolution of Focus: While Wahid was involved in policy decisions and strategic oversight in earlier years (e.g., as Cabinet Member for Jobs, Skills and Growth in 2024), his focus has increasingly shifted towards the chairmanship of the Overview & Scrutiny Committee. This evolution is evident in the growing detail and prominence of his activities in this role, culminating in his active leadership in 2026. His engagement with financial matters, such as the budget and MTFS, has also become more central to his recent activities.

Most Significant Contributions (Especially in Recent Years): In 2026, as Chair of the Overview & Scrutiny Committee, Wahid's leadership was paramount. He actively managed committee proceedings, ensuring the formal conduct of meetings, outlining procedural guidelines, and acknowledging significant events. His facilitation of discussions on critical financial matters like the budget, MTFS, fees, charges, and the hardship fund, alongside his emphasis on resident involvement in the CIP, highlights his commitment to fiscal responsibility and community engagement. His management of the committee's business in the Mayor's absence further underscores his leadership capabilities.

In 2025, Wahid's contributions were multifaceted. As Chair of Overview & Scrutiny, he was instrumental in presenting committee findings on critical issues such as hardship initiatives, waste services, technology risk, and leisure services. His advocacy for flood risk management and improvements for women and care-experienced young people, alongside his engagement with Children's Mental Health Services, demonstrates a deep commitment to social welfare. His foreword to the Strategic Plan 2025-2028 for the Youth Justice Executive Board, celebrating achievements in youth participation and SEND quality, is a significant testament to his dedication to young people.

In 2024, Wahid played a key role in policy, notably as Executive Mayor suspending changes to the Homelessness Placement Policy based on new data, demonstrating responsiveness to resident feedback. His emphasis on responsible dog ownership and his ambition to improve council performance as Chair of Overview & Scrutiny were also notable.

Patterns and Consistent Areas of Interest: A consistent pattern throughout Wahid's service is his commitment to effective governance and resident welfare. He consistently engages with issues that impact the daily lives of residents, from safety and optimism (as noted in the 2024 survey findings) to financial hardship and the provision of essential services. His increasing prominence in the Overview & Scrutiny Committee across these years suggests a growing dedication to ensuring the council operates efficiently and transparently, with a particular focus on financial prudence and service delivery for all.

Overall, Abdul Wahid's recent activities, particularly his leadership in the Overview & Scrutiny Committee in 2026, highlight his role as a key figure in ensuring council accountability and driving improvements in financial management and resident services.

Yearly Activity Timeline

During 2026, Abdul Wahid, as Chair of the Overview & Scrutiny Committee, actively led committee meetings. His key activities included formally opening proceedings, outlining procedural guidelines, acknowledging significant events such as the passing of corporate director Simon Baxter, and managing agenda items. He facilitated presentations and discussions on crucial financial matters like the budget, MTFS, fees, charges, and the hardship fund. He also emphasized the importance of resident involvement in the CIP and managed the committee's business in the absence of the Mayor.

Monthly Activity in 2026

During January 2026, Abdul Wahid, in his role as Chair of the Overview & Scrutiny Committee, presided over two meetings. In the January 12th meeting, he formally opened the proceedings, outlined procedural guidelines, and acknowledged the passing of corporate director Simon Baxter. He also managed agenda items, including declarations of interest, confirmation of minutes, and facilitated presentations on the budget and MTFS, as well as discussions on fees, charges, and the hardship fund. On January 26th, he welcomed attendees, explained the Mayor's absence, and thanked officers and members for their contributions, emphasizing the importance of resident involvement in the CIP.

Meetings in January 2026
Overview & Scrutiny Committee - Monday, 26th January, 2026 6.30 p.m. - 26 January 2026

Councillor Abdul Wahid, in his capacity as Chair of the Overview & Scrutiny Committee, presided over the meeting on 15 December 2025. He welcomed attendees and explained the Mayor's absence due to demanding priorities, reminding members that officers present were representatives. Following presentations, he thanked the officers and members for their contributions, emphasizing the continued importance of resident involvement and that resident voices were actively sought and considered in the ongoing work of the CIP.

Activity Timeline

Meetings Attended Note this may include planned future meetings.

65 meetings · Page 4 of 13

Council Member

Council - Wednesday, 19th November, 2025 7.00 p.m.

The Council of Tower Hamlets Council was scheduled to meet on Wednesday, 19 November 2025, to discuss a range of issues, including the submission of the local plan to the Secretary of State, petitions received from residents, and motions submitted by both the administration and opposition groups. The meeting was also scheduled to include a review of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee's annual report.

November 19, 2025
Pensions Committee Substitute

Extraordinary, Pensions Committee - Thursday, 6th November, 2025 6.30 p.m.

Here is a summary of the scheduled discussions for the Tower Hamlets Council Pensions Committee meeting on 6 November 2025.

November 06, 2025
Overview & Scrutiny Committee Chair

Overview & Scrutiny Committee - Monday, 13th October, 2025 6.30 p.m.

The Overview & Scrutiny Committee met to discuss strategic performance monitoring, the strategic vision for 2035, the annual complaints report, and flood risk management. Councillors reviewed the council's performance against its strategic objectives, provided feedback on the draft strategic vision, scrutinised the handling of complaints, and assessed the progress of flood risk management initiatives. The committee also agreed to extend the deadline for pre-decision scrutiny questions on unrestricted cabinet papers.

October 13, 2025
Council Member

Council - Wednesday, 8th October, 2025 7.00 p.m.

The Tower Hamlets council meeting on 8 October 2025 addressed community safety concerns, debated motions on international issues, and reviewed local policies. The council approved a motion to urge the Metropolitan Police to reconsider the decision to close the Bethnal Green Police Station's front counter, while a motion recognising the state of Palestine failed. Additionally, the council approved a revised Gambling Policy and noted the Annual Report of the Standards Advisory Committee.

October 08, 2025
General Purposes Committee Vice-Chair

General Purposes Committee - Thursday, 25th September, 2025 6.30 p.m.

The General Purposes Committee met to discuss updates to the council's constitution and to review the initial plans for the member induction programme in 2026. The committee agreed to changes to the Pensions Board and Standards Advisory Committee terms of reference, and noted changes to the Mayor's Executive Scheme of Delegation, the Legal Services Scheme of Delegation, and the Communities Directorate Scheme of Delegation. Members also provided feedback on the proposed structure and content of the 2026 Member Induction Programme, particularly regarding skills development for councillors.

September 25, 2025

Decisions from Meetings

78 decisions · Page 1 of 16

Scrutiny Deep Dive Markets Challenge Action Plan

From: Cabinet - Wednesday, 30th April, 2025 5.30 p.m. - April 30, 2025

...to note the report and agree to the actions outlined in response to the Scrutiny Markets Challenge Session, aimed at supporting markets and traders in Tower Hamlets by addressing issues related to infrastructure, anti-social behaviour, waste management, trader retention, and communication.

Recommendations Approved

Children and Adolescent Mental Health Services

From: Cabinet - Wednesday, 30th April, 2025 5.30 p.m. - April 30, 2025

...the Corporate Director of Children’s Services was authorised to award a contract to East London Foundation Trust for the re-commissioning of Children and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) in Children’s Social Care, ensuring continued mental health support for young people in the Supporting Families division.

Recommendations Approved

Agency worker contract – Contract Award for 2 years

From: Cabinet - Wednesday, 30th April, 2025 5.30 p.m. - April 30, 2025

...to award a two-year contract to Matrix for agency worker services, utilizing the London Collaboration M-Star 4 framework, with the aim of achieving cost savings and supporting the Council's recruitment and resourcing strategy.

Recommendations Approved

Introduction of a dog control public spaces protection order

From: Cabinet - Wednesday, 30th April, 2025 5.30 p.m. - April 30, 2025

...the Cabinet of Tower Hamlets decided to introduce a dog control public spaces protection order to address dog fouling, require dogs to be on leads in certain areas and when directed, exclude dogs from specific areas, limit the number of dogs one person can walk, and introduce a professional dog walkers license.

Recommendations Approved

Outcome of representations received in response to the statutory (public) notice to amalgamate Globe Primary and Rachel Keeling Nursery Schools

From: Cabinet - Wednesday, 30th April, 2025 5.30 p.m. - April 30, 2025

...to merge Globe Primary and Rachel Keeling Nursery Schools into a single, all-through primary school for children aged 3 to 11, effective September 1, 2025.

For Determination